The invention relates to an automated three-dimensional build process in which objects are automatically removed from a build surface in order to permit continuous fabrication of multiple objects.
A variety of three-dimensional fabrication techniques have been devised to support rapid prototyping from computer models. In general, these techniques have been refined over the years to increase accuracy, working volume, and the variety of build materials available in a rapid prototyping environment. While these increasingly sophisticated and expensive machines appear regularly in commercial design and engineering settings, a more recent trend has emerged toward low-cost three-dimensional prototyping devices suitable for hobbyists and home users. These devices typically provide smaller build volumes and faster build times, and as a result they are used to fabricate more numerous, smaller devices, which may require frequent user intervention to retrieve completed objects from the working volume. Thus, a need has emerged for prototyping machines that support the continuous fabrication of multiple objects in this context.